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| Uncertainty grips Kashmir's tourism industry, thanks to turmoil | | After suffering Rs 4k cr loss | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Nov 25: Kashmir's tourism industry has been badly hit due to the summer turmoil, and now people associated with the trade have little hope of a better tourism in the coming months.
The people say that it would take at least six months to rebuild the confidence among the tourists to visit the Valley once again.
"You have to first instil confidence among the tourists that Kashmir is safe for them and there is no uncertainty at all. Once that objective is achieved, we will be able to look forward to some good business," says Irshad Ahmad, a tour operator.
The winter sports in famous tourist resort Gulmarg too isn't expecting many visitors this year, as the Valley is yet to see the return of normalcy.
The hotel owners, travel operators and others associated with the trade say the four-month unrest besides making their businesses shut during the peak summer season would affect the coming months as well.
"Even when life is getting slowly back on track, there are apprehensions among the tourists that are needed to be addressed thoroughly," says Samir Ali, a hotel owner in Srinagar's Dalgate area.
According to Director, Tourism Department, Mehmood Shah, there is negative perception and trust deficit about Kashmir after the prevailing situation. "However, we have to work together for promoting Kashmir tourism," Shah said.
He said the Tourism Department is planning to hold various publicity events outside the state to promote tourism. "Besides, the department is looking forward for selling upcoming winter and spring seasons," he said.
However, at present, with zero occupancy in hotels across the Valley, the tourism players have little hope of revival any time soon.
Tourism sector in the Valley has suffered a loss of around Rs. 3,000 crore as four-month long unrest in the Valley resulted in sharp decline of tourist influx.
Tourism Department officials said the key sector of state's economy has suffered a loss of around Rs. 4,000 crore due to the unrest which broke out on July 9 following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces a day earlier.
Reports say that Rs. 400 crore were available with the Tourism Department under PMDP for infrastructure development at new and existing destinations. Under this programme, the department had formulated projects for infrastructure development at Daksum, Doodhpathri, Kokernag, Verinag, Pahalgam and Salamabad (Uri). All these projects had to be kept in limbo because of the prevailing situation, with government yet to decide when to restart the projects.
The people associated with tourism trade apprehend that the prevailing situation could adversely affect the tourist arrivals during the next year as well with disastrous implications for the local economy.
Pertinently, the figures reveal that 10,059 tourists visited the Valley between August 1 to 12, against 89,243 tourists during the corresponding period in 2015. From August onwards, the number dipped drastically. |
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